Scene of sacrifice. The victim, with white feathers in his hair and a shield with the signs of the five directions of space, fights a warrior dresssed in jaguar skin holding a war club, shield, and wearing feathered headdress.

description

Scene of sacrifice. The victim, with white feathers in his hair and a shield with the signs of the five directions of space, fights a warrior dresssed in jaguar skin holding a war club, shield, and wearing feathered headdress.

This sacrificial rite was celebrated on the festival of tlacaxipehualiztli in honor of Xipe Tótec. Xipe Tótec, "our flayed lord," was the god of agriculture, death, rebirth, and the seasons. At his festival in the spring, men were sacrificed by tying them to an altar stone, called the temalacatl. Once defeated, the victim was flayed and eaten. A description of this festival is given in the Codex Durán. Image is placed horizontally on page. The Tovar manuscript is divided into three sections. This second section of the manuscript--the text, with illustrations, of the history of the Aztecs--is essentially the same as the Codex Ramírez and forms the main body of the manuscript.

notes

This sacrificial rite was celebrated on the festival of tlacaxipehualiztli in honor of Xipe Tótec. Xipe Tótec, "our flayed lord," was the god of agriculture, death, rebirth, and the seasons. At his festival in the spring, men were sacrificed by tying them to an altar stone, called the temalacatl. Once defeated, the victim was flayed and eaten. A description of this festival is given in the Codex Durán. Image is placed horizontally on page. The Tovar manuscript is divided into three sections. This second section of the manuscript--the text, with illustrations, of the history of the Aztecs--is essentially the same as the Codex Ramírez and forms the main body of the manuscript.